Written Answers

Wednesday 4 October 2000

Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-emergency ambulance journeys were cancelled in each health board area between: (a) 31 July 2000 and 4 August 2000; (b) 7 August 2000 and 11 August 2000; (c) 14 August 2000 and 18 August 2000; (d) 21 August 2000 and 25 August 2000; (e) 28 August 2000 and 1 September 2000; (f) 4 September 2000 and 8 September 2000; (g) 11 September and 15 September 2000; (h) 2 August 1999 and 6 August 1999; (i) 9 August 1999 and 13 August 1999; (j) 16 August 1999 and 20 August 1999; (k) 23 August 1999 and 27 August 1999; (l) 30 August 1999 and 3 September 1999; (m) 6 September and 10 September, and (n) 13 September and 17 September.

Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Cancer

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take in response to the report by Professor David Hole and Dr Paul Symonds at Glasgow University regarding the increased likelihood of women from poorer backgrounds developing cervical cancer.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive’s commitment to public health in general and cancer in particular are set out in the White Paper  Towards a Healthier Scotland.  The links between deprivation and cancer are recognised, into which the paper from Professor Hole and Dr Symonds provides further insight.

  The Scottish Executive has pledged to tackle the root causes of ill health such as poverty and deprivation and a wide ranging programme of national and local initiatives are underway seeking to improve Scotland’s poor health record: all of which will contribute to the aim of reducing mortality from cancer by 20% in the under 75’s by 2010.

  Health boards are responsible for promoting the benefits of cervical screening, particularly through health promotion programmes targeted at areas of low uptake. At March 1999, the percentage of the eligible population screened in the last 5.5 years was 86.6%.

Climate Change Levy

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any estimate has been made of additional funding which will be available to the Scottish Budget as a result of any additional revenue raised through the climate change levy and, if so, what the estimate is for the current and next financial year.

Mr Jack McConnell: The climate change levy does not come into effect until 1 April 2001. As a result of the levy, an additional £3.2 million per year has been made available to the Scottish Budget from 2001-02.

Council Tax

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had and is having with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and local authorities to improve council tax debt recovery, in particular by eliminating any administrative mistakes.

Mr Jack McConnell: We are having detailed discussions with CoSLA on what can be done to improve council tax delivery. These involve groups where we have drawn expertise from organisations such as CIPFA, IRRV, SMASO, Audit Scotland, Citizens Advice Scotland, Scottish Consumer Council, Poverty Alliance, Money Advice Scotland, Scottish Association of Law Centres and the Scottish Consumer Credit Association.

Crime

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it intends to make to Her Majesty’s Government in relation to the impact on crime in Scotland of any proposed relaxation of the ban on handguns.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a range of subjects including firearms legislation. I understand that the UK Government has no plans to lift or relax the ban on handguns.

  The Scottish Executive is aware that Home Office Ministers have considered a formal request from the National Rifle Association and have agreed that pistol shooting events can be held at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and at its precursor event in September next year. This is not a relaxation or weakening of the handgun ban. Competitors bringing pistols into the UK would require to be authorised by the Home Secretary under section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 as amended. The Scottish Executive does not consider that this decision would have any impact on crime or public safety in Scotland.

E.coli

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with the Food Standards Agency in connection with the recent outbreak of E.coli 0157 in north-east Scotland.

Susan Deacon: The Food Safety Unit of SERAD Division A kept the Food Standards Agency Scotland fully informed of the progress of the E.coli  outbreak at New Deer. They forwarded information on a daily basis during the outbreak to Dr George Paterson, Director, FSA Scotland on the number of individuals affected, their current health status, the possible causes of the outbreak and the lessons which could be learned from it.

E.coli

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement the Food Standards Agency has in the recent outbreak of E.coli 0157 in north-east Scotland.

Susan Deacon: Grampian Health Board set up and chaired an Outbreak Control Team to manage the outbreak of E. coli 0157 at New Deer. This Outbreak Control Team kept the Food Safety Unit of SERAD Division A fully informed of the status of the outbreak as the Scientific and Professional Unit of the Food Standards Agency Scotland was not operational at the time. However, they forwarded all information on the outbreak on a daily basis to Dr George Paterson, Director, FSA Scotland.

Enterprise

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recommendations by the Scottish Council for Development in Industry to Scottish Trade International that the latter set up special groups to consider the e-market place and the Eastern European market place has been accepted.

Henry McLeish: Scottish Trade International is already actively addressing e-business in close consultation with Scottish Enterprise’s e-commerce team and has undertaken a number of activities in the Eastern European market place. These will also be key areas in the new international strategy which is currently being developed by Scottish Trade International and has involved extensive consultation including with the Scottish Council Development and Industry. The new strategy will be launched early next year and will follow on from the present five-year Export Development Strategy for Scotland launched in 1995.

Environment

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is of all work and procedures, including time expended by its own and Scottish Natural Heritage’s employees, involved in consulting on and making a designation order in respect of (a) a Special Area of Conservation and (b) a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Sarah Boyack: The process of designating Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) is not yet complete and it is not possible, therefore, to provide the detailed costs requested.

  Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) are currently engaged in a programme of consultations on behalf of Scottish Ministers on a further 90 proposed SACs. In accordance with existing policy, sites proposed under European nature conservation directives are normally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as Sites Of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Where appropriate, the SSSI notification process, including consultation with affected parties, takes place at the same time as SAC consultation to avoid duplication of effort by SNH.

  The cost of notifying and consulting on a potential SSSI or SAC varies enormously according to the size of the site, the number of consultees and possible reference, in the case of SSSIs, to the Advisory Committee on SSSIs. An average figure is, therefore, meaningless.

Ferry Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision will be made on how to proceed with the tendering of Caledonian MacBrayne routes and when the tendering exercise is expected to begin.

Sarah Boyack: I will consider options and plan to make decisions on the way forward as soon as possible. However, the timescale will depend, in part, on consultation with the European Commission. The Executive aims to begin implementing the tendering programme in 2001 in the light of the EC’s requirements.

Finance

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to have insurance premium tax paid by Scottish motorists hypothecated and added to the Scottish block grant.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including taxation.

Health

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital beds were available in Lanarkshire in each of the last 10 years and how many beds there are planned to be in each future year for which information is available.

Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally. I have, however, asked the Chief Executive of Lanarkshire Health Board to write to you with the details you have sought. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Health

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many operations were cancelled in each health board area between: (a) 31 July 2000 and 4 August 2000; (b) 7 August 2000 and 11 August 2000; (c) 14 August 2000 and 18 August 2000; (d) 21 August 2000 and 25 August 2000; (e) 28 August 2000 and 1 September 2000; (f) 4 September 2000 and 8 September 2000; (g) 11 September 2000 and 15 September 2000; (h) 2 August 1999 and 6 August 1999; (i) 2 August 1999 and 6 August 1999; (j) 16 August 1999 and 20 August 1999; (k) 23 August 1999 and 27 August 1999; (l) 30 August 1999 and 3 September 1999; (m) 6 September 1999 and 10 September 1999, and (n) 13 September 1999 and 17 September 1999.

Susan Deacon: Information on the total number of operations cancelled by the NHS in Scotland is not available centrally.

  Details of cancellations of planned admissions to hospitals are collected centrally and are published annually in Scottish Health Statistics. The latest edition is available in SPICe (Bib. number 6937).

Housing

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the definition of "tolerable standard" for homes was last reviewed and whether it has any plans to review the definition.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The tolerable standard is currently under review and an announcement will be made later this year.

Interpretation and Translation Services

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on reviewing interpretation and translation services.

Jackie Baillie: As part of the ongoing development of the Equality Strategy, the Executive will be working together with the Commission for Racial Equality, the Disability Rights Commission and public sector interests to develop a national framework of guidance for the public sector on the provision of communication support which will include interpretation and translation services.

Justice

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in future editions of the Statistical Bulletin – Criminal Justice Series, it will break down any statistics relating to the Strathclyde police force area on a divisional basis.

Mr Jim Wallace: All statistical bulletins in the Criminal Justice Series except those relating to motor vehicle offences and offences involving firearms include information at the lowest level of geographic detail collected centrally. The lowest level of geographic detail at which statistics are collected centrally is unitary authority or, for courts and prisons statistics, the individual court or prison. The nine police divisions in Strathclyde divide the police force area in a different way from the twelve unitary authorities. For example, the Glasgow City unitary authority covers four different police divisions in whole or part. The information collected centrally therefore cannot be aggregated to distinguish all individual police divisions within the Strathclyde police force area.

  Statistics on the number of crimes recorded by the police are presented on a divisional basis in the Strathclyde Chief Constable’s Annual Report.

Justice

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8043 by Mr Jim Wallace on 31 August 2000, what date or approximate timescale is envisaged for announcing its decisions on the future of the Diversion from Prosecution scheme.

Mr Jim Wallace: I announced my decision on the future of the Diversion from Prosecution scheme on 22 September.

  Diversion will be made available to procurators fiscal throughout Scotland as an alternative to prosecution from next January. The expanded schemes will be targeted on those groups which research has shown benefit most from diversion. These are accused people who are experiencing mental health difficulties; those misusing drugs and alcohol; female accused, and young accused aged 16 and 17 years.

  Additional funding is being made available and this, together with a redistribution of existing funding which reflects the refocusing and targeting of the schemes, will result in a total of £1 million being made available to support these schemes.

Listed Buildings

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is possible to de-list a listed property and, if so, what procedure is involved.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Graeme Munro, Director and Chief Executive of Historic Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The criteria for listing are set out at paragraph 1.8 of the Memorandum of Guidance on Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas (1998) and paragraphs 1.11 and 1.12 describe the circumstances in which a building may be removed from the list. A copy of the Memorandum is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 9098).

Local Government Finance

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why consents under section 94 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 are counted twice as public expenditure, first as borrowing consent and again through annual loan charges.

Mr Jack McConnell: Under the present arrangements both capital allocations and the total grant paid to councils are included in the Assigned Budget. The method by which grant is distributed to councils takes account of councils’ debt servicing costs through an amount for loan and leasing charges.

  Within national accounting, to avoid double counting, the repayment of debt by local authorities is excluded from public expenditure totals. This is consistent with the accounting treatment of local authority borrowing and debt repayment across the United Kingdom. Any change in the capital arrangements, or in their accounting treatment might well lead to a corresponding adjustment to the Assigned Budget.

Local Government Finance

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6255 by Mr Jack McConnell on 10 May 2000, why the £42 million undistributed Excellence Fund has been excluded from AEF when it is included in the GSE figure for education in Investing in You and formed part of the GAE figure for education notified to local authorities in SEED finance circular No 9/1999.

Mr Jack McConnell: Question S1W-6255 sought information on the aggregate external finance (AEF) for particular individual councils, thus my reply quoted the relevant AEF distribution figures published in the report which accompanied the Local Government Finance (Scotland) Order 2000, approved by the Scottish Parliament on 1 March. Although the £42 million undistributed Excellence Fund formed part of the total GSE figure for education in Investing in You ; a distribution was not available for inclusion in the Order. Councils have since received their allocations for most of the funding and will be advised of their allocations of the remaining £13.45 million in due course, but the original individual AEF figures for councils are not revisited after approval of the Order. Any additional specific grants distributed during the year are paid to councils directly.

Local Government Finance

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5713 by Mr Jack McConnell on 14 July 2000, what the gross annual impact of the abolition of advance corporation tax credit for pension funds on each local authority was in 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and is expected to be in 2000-01.

Mr Jack McConnell: We do not make such an assessment. Based on local authorities’ own actuarial estimates, provision of £27 million for 1999-2000, £38.5 million for 2000-01 and £38.5 million for 2001-02 was made in the Comprehensive Spending Review for the abolition of ACT credits.

Migration

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the net outward migration from the Highlands and Islands in the 18 to 30 age group was in each year from 1996 to present.

Mr Jim Wallace: Estimates of net migration in the 18 to 30 age group for the Highlands and Islands consistent with the Registrar General’s mid-year estimates of population are given in the table below.

  Net migration for Highlands and Islands; 1996-99

  





Year ending 30 June




Council Area


1996


1997


1998


1999




Highland


-710


-860


-930


-730




Orkney Islands


-90


-70


-150


-50




Shetland Islands


-70


-80


-110


-120




Eilean Siar


-160


-330


-210


-200




Total


-1,030


-1,340


-1,400


-1,100




  Notes:

  1. A negative figure indicates net outward migration.

  2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.

National Stadium

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or  sportscotland intends to make any further funding available for the Hampden rescue package; if so, which departmental budgets it will find its contribution from, and how much of the total of any extra public funding being made available will be used to pay (a) legal, accountancy and other professional fees and (b) interest charges incurred since the initial offer of assistance was made in December 1999.

Mr Sam Galbraith: I apologise for not replying earlier. I have now written to Mr Monteith.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will give a substantive answer to question S1W-3878 lodged on 4 February 2000 and what the reason is for the delay.

Susan Deacon: This question was answered on 26 July. Comparisons of health expenditure and GDP between countries are complicated by differences in definitions and in methods of recording expenditure. Careful examination of the data was therefore required to ensure that the figures provided for Scotland were, as far as possible, consistent with the figures for EU countries.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to set an advisory cost limit on answers to parliamentary questions, what any advisory cost limit would be, what research it has carried out into the cost of answers, how many questions it estimates have exceeded any proposed cost limit to date, and what potential savings it calculates could be achieved as a result of setting an advisory cost limit.

Mr Tom McCabe: A major study to establish the average cost of dealing with Scottish parliamentary questions is close to completion. Once the full results of this study are available, the question of whether to establish an advisory cost limit, and if so at what level, will be considered.

Planning

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether tenement law takes precedence over planning consent after planning consent has been given which will result in changes to a tenement property.

Sarah Boyack: The grant of planning permission does not obviate the need to comply with any other laws and to seek any other permissions, consents or approvals that may be required to implement any planning permission.

Police

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the internal review group on the funding formula for the police is due to report and whether it intends to publish the report or make a statement to the Parliament.

Mr Jack McConnell: The review is being undertaken jointly by the Scottish Executive, Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, as part of the arrangements through which we consult local government on grant distribution matters. Its completion is dependent on the results of a major analysis of police workloads across Scotland, which is expected to be undertaken later this year.

  The conclusions of the review will help to inform consideration of the local government finance settlement allocations which are laid before the Parliament each year.

Police

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all police forces will be able to utilise the £8.9 million additional money for recruitment in full this financial year, what the reasons are for any inability to use the money this year and whether any unused allocations will be carried forward to the next financial year.

Mr Jim Wallace: The £8.9 million extra money allocated to the police earlier this year is sufficient to allow forces to recruit more than 300 extra police officers. However, decisions on the allocation of resources are matters for chief constables in consultation with their police authorities. It will be for them to decide on the levels and pattern of recruitment in this and subsequent years. A carry-over provision is available to police forces.

Police

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the target manpower is for police establishments in each of the eight constabularies in Scotland for the current year and for next year.

Mr Jim Wallace: From 1 April 1996 the controls previously exercised by Ministers over police force numbers were removed. Since then it has been entirely for chief constables in consultation with police authorities to decide on staffing levels within the extent of available resources.

Police

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any additional funding will be provided to Central Scotland Police in respect of the protest at the Grangemouth Oil Refinery between 11 and 14 September 2000.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive will meet reasonable claims from all forces, including Central Scotland Police, in respect of additional operational costs incurred by the police during the recent fuel distribution emergency.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to combat any low morale in the prison service in particular in Peterhead because of any uncertainty over closure.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  In a period of change, Scottish Prison Service Management remains committed to working with staff in the way that it has earned its Investors in People recognition. But the SPS faces competitive challenges requiring us to make significant changes in our working practices designed to improve our competitiveness and increase job security. Our current aim is to proceed without compulsory redundancies.

  There is uncertainty over the future of Peterhead. Once a decision has been taken it will be conveyed as soon as possible to those directly involved. Our estates review is focussed on the need to improve the SPS estate and the SPS’s competitive position, thereby improving the value for money the SPS provides to the taxpayer and is no reflection on the high standard of work undertaken by our staff.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what vetting was done of the organisations who form Premier Prison Services Limited prior to the awarding of the contract for Her Majesty’s Prison, Kilmarnock in 1997.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  All consortia bidding for the contract were subject to extensive evaluation and vetting as part of the procurement process.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost of the contract for Her Majesty’s Prison, Kilmarnock will be to the Scottish Prison Service and what proportion of this is the capital element.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The total cost over the 25-year period of the contract is approximately £130 million in Net Present Value terms. The capital element is approximately £32 million.

Prison Service

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any problems are anticipated to arise from Her Majesty’s Prison, Kilmarnock operating a system of governance within the prison which is different from the system employed in the rest of the prison estate.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  There are no problems anticipated to arise from the system of governance in place within Her Majesty’s Prison Kilmarnock. It is noted that the recent report from Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons made no reference to any such difficulties and indeed referred to a number of points of good practice within the establishment.

Public Sector Pay

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimated proportion of each of the Level I Budget headings, and of the total budget, is spent on (a) wages and salaries and (b) other related labour costs.

Mr Jack McConnell: I refer you to the answer to question S1W-5679 which gave estimates of the proportion of each of the Level I Budget headings and the total budget spent on public sector pay. A further breakdown of these figures into wages and salaries and other related labour costs is not currently held centrally.

Renewable Energy

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage the production of energy from renewable sources and what progress has been made with the review of the planning guidance for renewable energy and the review with electricity companies of the capacity of the Scottish electricity grid to connect more renewable products, as referred to in the answer to question S1W-4084 by Sarah Boyack on 1 February 2000.

Sarah Boyack: As part of the consultation on the wider Scottish Climate Change Programme, the Scottish Executive sought views on its proposals to secure an additional 5% of electricity generated from renewable sources by 2010 by means of the proposed obligation on electricity suppliers. Over 80 responses to this proposal were received. I am considering these along with the responses to the Scottish Climate Change Programme and will make a statement in due course.

  Consultation on the draft revision of National Policy Planning Guideline (NPPG) 6: Renewable Energy closed on 28 July. Over 100 responses were received and are currently being considered. We aim to produce the final NPPG later in the summer.

  The review of the capacity of the Scottish grid to connect more renewables is under way and I expect a preliminary report in the near future.

Residential Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the care and treatment of elderly people in residential and nursing homes is considered to be part of National Health Service provision.

Iain Gray: The Minister for Health will make a statement on 5 October regarding NHS responsibility for care in residential and nursing homes.

Roads

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9061 by Sarah Boyack on 30 August 2000, why the safety review report of the A90 was not commissioned for external publication.

Sarah Boyack: The safety review report on the A90 Balmedie to Tipperty Route Accident Reduction Plan was commissioned for official use only.

Scotland Act

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5858 by Mr Jack McConnell on 28 April 2000, what the timescale is for the publication of the Notes on Sections to the Scotland Act 1998 and why they have not yet been published.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive has made considerable progress towards publication of Notes on Sections. However, due to demands in other high priority areas, we are not yet in a position to publish the Notes but will do so as soon as possible. Copies will then be made available in SPICe.

Scottish Executive Publications

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many documents bearing the heading "Making it Work Together" it has produced and how much each such document cost.

Mr Jack McConnell: The branding "Making It Work Together" has been applied to Scottish Executive publications produced since September 1999. In the period between September 1999 and August 2000, 131 documents have been published. The details are:

  

 

£




Active Communities Response Document


2,274.20




Agricultural Census Summary Sheet


1,946.43




Agricultural Facts and Figures 2000 
Factsheet


726.15




Agricultural Holdings White Paper


7,475.38




Aiming for Excellence Newsletter


5,771.83




Aiming for Excellence, Care and Social 
Services


6,218.00




Antimicrobial Resistance leaflet


17,988.10




Appointments to Public Bodies


2,048.10




Beattie Committee Report


33,395.47




Beattie Committee Summary (Response)


35,722.00




Breastfeeding and Returning to Work


1,815.76




Business Crime: Counting the Cost 
booklet


3,339.70




Carers Campaign leaflet


12,027.00




Child Protection-Health Guidance


18,510.00




Childcare Link Scotland leaflets 
etc.


51,197.28




Choosing a School leaflet


26,545.78




CMO Annual Report - Health in Scotland 
1999


11,471.00




Consultation on Judicial Appointments


6,322.18




Consultation Paper – Protecting Children 
Securing Their Safety


5,293.00




Cot Death booklet (Gaelic version)


1,025.00




Cot Death booklets


16,810.00




Cot Death Leaflet (Translations versions)


43,257.23




Created in Scotland – Manufacturing 
in 21st Century


13,782.45




Crofters etc. Building Grants and 
Loans Scheme Guidance


2,423.00




Cycling by Design


25,256.74




Don’t Turn a Blind Eye


6,101.00




Drug Misuse in Schools Guidelines


5,031.64




Drugs Action Plan


28,320.00




Drugs Misuse in Schools


54,507.90




Early Education and Childcare


5,856.40




EC Habitats and Birds Directives


9,000.00
(Estimate)



 
E.coli 
No. 2 leaflet


10,354.58




Economic Report on Scottish Agriculture 
2000 Edition


6,222.50




Education for Work in Schools


16,858.08




Enterprise Network Review


1,683.65




Ethical Standards in Local Government 
booklet


20,193.19




Examining the Future of Training 
for Work


20,761.19




Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture


15,462.19




Gourock/Dunoon Ferry Service Report


6,028.00




Government Expenditure and Revenue 
Report


9,144.98




Guidance on Local Transport


1,120.25




Guide to Planning System in Scotland


12,329.00




Homelessness Task Force Report


2,587.48




Housing and Anti Social Behaviour


4,395.08




Housing Green Paper


31,514.87




Improving Business Regulations


1,372.13




Improving our Schools Consultation


8,946.78




Improving our Schools Report and 
Summary


56,876.14




Incapable Adults Bill


1,036.00




Individual Learning Accounts booklet


11,043.39




Integrated Transport Bill


10,594.39




Investing in You – Annual Expenditure 
Report


22,928.00




Investing in You – Summary leaflet


5,469.00




It Pays to Pay: Council Tax leaflet


2,339.78




Learning Disability Review


44,404.65




Learning to teach Maths


1,170.00




Lifelong Learning Targets


858.75




Local Health Care Workshops Report


647.00




Maths 2000 booklet


48,244.00




Memorandum of Understanding


1,123.37




National Parks (Scotland) Bill


23,157.53




National Parks Consultation Paper


14,160.38




New Single Social Housing Tenancy


979.00




New Strategy for Scottish Tourism


32,262.98




NHS Annual Report 1998/99


55,907.55




NHS Complaints Procedure leaflet


7,394.52




NHS Education and Training


14,410.61




NHS Learning Together


6,045.00




NHS Loans Scheme


2,276.56




Obtaining Maintenance from Abroad


1,627.28




Owner Occupied Sheltered Housing 
Code


1,720.85




Parental Responsibilities


1,623.43




Partnership Action for Continuing 
Employment


13,147.00




Physical Punishment of Childrens 
consultations


4,269.00




Planning Bulletin


8,765.00




Policy on Architecture


33,164.35




Pre-school Education leaflet


11,960.58




Prevention of Environmental Pollution


11,226.00




Primary Care Act booklet


2,040.00




Programme for Government leaflet


1,669.35




Promoting the International Dimension 
in Scottish Schools


2,197.00




Register of Basic Seed Potatoes


3,402.00




Rent Assessment Committees leaflet


325.00




Revaluation of Non-Domestic Rates


58,348.00




Review of Assessment in Pre-School 
and 5-14


67,218.99




Review of Public Health Function


11,108.78




River Crossing and Migratory Fish 
Guidance


3,565.00




Rural Affairs Action Plan


17,266.04




Rural Petrol Stations Scheme


671.55




Safer Communities in Scotland


8,538.00




Safer Cycling: A Guide for Parents


39,353.09




Safer Routes to School booklet


12,505.55




Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review


12,517.20




School Codes Consultation Paper


4,668.63




Science Strategy Review Group Report


2,996.80




Scotland’s Freshwater Fish and Fisheries 
Review


18,913.05




Scottish Agriculture – Guide to Grants 
& Services


3,372.05




Scottish Charities Legislation: An 
Evaluation


3,091.00




Scottish Climate Change Programme


18,459.05




Scottish Compact Good Practice Guide


4,104.83




Scottish Economic Report July 2000


9,343.85




Sex Offenders Act 1997 Revised Guidance


7,820.25




Single Social Tenancy booklet


3,364.00




Social Inclusion booklet


49,769.48




Social Inclusion Report


16,631.00




Social Justice Action Plan


14,171.33




Social Justice Guidance


3,265.00




Spending Plans for Scotland


12,039.15




SQH Newsletter


1,599.25




Stalking and Harassment Consultation


4,966.58




State Aid – Ferry Consultation


1,805.60




Strategic Roads Review


34,663.01




Supporting Active Communities


7,787.35




Tackling Drugs The Way Forward


16,788.03




The Scottish Police Special Constabulary 
leaflet


1,161.00




The Way Forward for Care


6,637.65




Tourism Strategy Summary


1,612.35




Towards a Just Conclusion


3,235.50




Towards a Safer Healthier Workplace 
Report


3,316.00




Towards A Safer Healthier Workplace 
Summary


13,869.42




Towards an Equality Strategy


10,216.38




Training Qualification Action Plan


3,686.10




Transport Audit Report


745.77




Travel Choices for Scotland leaflet


1,437.10




Trunk Road Biodiversity Action Plan


10,508.47




Water Quality and Environmental Studies


11,965.04




Water Quality and Standards – Investment 
Priorities


11,917.44




Winter Maintenance 1999


7,529.73




Working Together (Programme of Government)


34,667.78




Working with Children


12,193.83




Youth Crime Review


7,401.45

Scottish Executive Staff

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what mileage rates have been paid to Scottish Office/Executive staff on an annual basis since 1997.

Mr Jack McConnell: The information requested is as follows:

  


Year


Mileage Rates Paid




1998-99


£736,650*




1999-2000


£896,100*




April – 31 August 2000


£377,600*




  * Totals rounded to nearest £50.

  Information for 1997-98 is not available.

Speech Therapy

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether extra finance is being given to Glasgow City Council in the current financial year specifically for speech therapy and, if so, how much.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Grant-aided expenditure of £178 million for special education is available to local authorities to use in light of local needs and circumstances. Included in this figure is £6.5 million per year from April 1999 for speech and language therapy for pupils with Records of Needs. This figure represents an increase of £3.5 million a year over previous years. Glasgow City Council’s share of the overall expenditure for special education in 2000-01 is £21 million.

Stirling Castle

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8592 by Rhona Brankin on 24 July 2000, when it decided to introduce charges for Stirling residents wishing to park on the esplanade at Stirling Castle and how much revenue this is expected to generate on an annual basis.

Rhona Brankin: I have asked Graeme Munro, Chief Executive of Historic Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Parking charges on the esplanade for residents of Stirling Old Burgh were introduced on 30 May this year. The number of residents now using the esplanade is very small and the annual revenue raised from them is expected to be less than £100. The main reason for introducing charges, however, was to maximise the space available to visitors to Stirling Castle given the rise in numbers in recent years. This is expected to produce significant additional revenue from admissions, retail and catering, as well as helping the tourist economy of Stirling and providing a better service to the public.

Student Finance

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of support is available at the discretion of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland to students who have to take time out from their course due to illness or other incapacity and how such discretionary assistance is administered.

Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-9031 on 4 September 2000.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has requested that the City of Edinburgh Rapid Transit scheme be implemented by a particular date, and if so, what this date was.

Sarah Boyack: The original bid by the City of Edinburgh Council to the Transport Challenge Fund envisaged that the project would be operational by 2001. Subsequently, the council requested that the Transport Challenge Fund award should be re-phased to take account of delays in the project related to the preparation of a Parliamentary Order and the development of the Private Finance Initiative package. The department agreed to this request.

Transport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will withdraw the proposal in the Transport (Scotland) Bill which enables a levy on workplace parking to be introduced following recent reports that Edinburgh City Council would not introduce such levies.

Sarah Boyack: No.